I’m a very slow writer on formal papers, so I probably can’t contribute a paper to your journal or a chapter to your book. It won’t hurt to ask, but the answer is very probably no. I attend few conferences, but again it won’t hurt to ask.

Time constraints prevent me from answering all emails. If I don’t reply to you the first time, you can try again – you may have gotten lost in the shuffle. If I don’t respond to you the second time, give up.

Notes of thanks, and bug reports, are always appreciated even if I don’t reply.

Generally, when I have something to say, I write it up and broadcast it to the world. I usually decline to carry on correspondence with a single person, as this takes just as much time and energy as talking to thousands of people.

Anyone looking to devote a substantial portion of their time or resources to the Machine Intelligence Research Institute or its related issues should contact Nate Soares.

I am not interested in your amazing new theory of Artificial Intelligence unless you can derive the formula for propagating updates in a Bayesian network. I am not interested in your religion. You do not have psychic powers. And that sinister worldwide conspiracy you want to warn me about? I’m probably a member.

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The first virtue is curiosity. A burning itch to know is higher than a solemn vow to pursue truth. To feel the burning itch of curiosity requires both that you be ignorant, and that you desire to relinquish your ignorance.Read More